Beverage cooler



Dec. 22, 1953 Filed March 20, 1948 c. BOLING 2,663,548

BEVERAGE COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR flaili g C. BOLING Dec. 22,1953 BEVERAGE COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1948 I INVENTORCecil Bolling BY %T3RN M Patented Dec. 22, 1953 BEVERAGE COOLER CecilBoling, Brewster, N. Y., assignor to The Heat-X-Changer 00., Inc.,Brewster, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application March 20, 1948, Serial No. 16,050

5 Claims.

This invention relates to cooling and more in particular to units forcooling fluids such as water or other beverages. This application isacontinuation-in-part of the copending application, Serial No. 663,450,filed April 19, 1946, of myself and Alexander J. Tigges, now Patent No.2,466,676.

In the above-identified Patent No. 2,466,676 there are disclosed heatexchange units which are particularly adapted to use in cooling drinkingwater or other beverages. It is an object of the present invention toprovide an improved unit of the character disclosed in our Patent No.2,466,676. The specific embodiment of the present invention isparticularly suited for cooling drinking water in unit Water coolers andfor similar purposes. A further object of the present invention is toprovide units of the above character which are sturdy in constructionand yet which are inexpensive to manufacture, light in weight, andthoroughly dependable in operation. A further object is to provide unitsof the above character which may be subjected to considerable abusewithout interfering with their operation or efliciency. These and otherobjects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out below. I

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view with parts broken away of a water C001lngunit constituting one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the coil-holdingbrackets which is shown in the other figures.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there isshown a cylindrical block 2 of cast aluminum in which are embedded twotoward the upper end face of the cylindrical block 2; and, each coil endhas brazed to it an attaching fitting by means of which a sealedconnection is made to a pipe or other fitting. Coils 4 and 6 aresubstantially identical, but for purposes of discussion coil 4 has itsinner turns designated 3 and its outer turns designated 5, while theinner turns of coil 6 are designated 1, and the outer turns 9. Coil 4has the end of its inner turns connected to a fitting 8 and the end ofits outer turns connected to a fitting l6, while coil 6 has its innerand outer turns connected respectively to fittings l2 and I4.

These fittings are identical, and the structure is best understood byreferring to fitting I2 shown at the right in Figure 2. Each of thefittings has an internal thread 16 adapted to receive a male fittingcarried for example on the end of a connecting'pipe. The central portion18 of the fitting is hexagonal and beneath this hexagonal portion thereis a groove 20 which forms an anchor flange 22. The coil end is snuglyreceived in the end of the fitting and is brazed thereto at 24.Substantially one-half the length of the fitting is embedded in block 2and during the casting operation the aluminum flows around the from theblock to receive a wrench if such is desirable, and thus during theattaching of fitting l2 to the male fitting the block need not be reliedupon to hold fitting l2 from turning.

As has been indicated above, coil 4 is formed by inner turns 3 and outerturns 5, while coil 6 is formed by inner turns 1 and outer turns 9, andthe turns of the two coils are positioned alternately throughout so thatthe turns next adjacent each of the turns of one coil are turns of theother coil. Furthermore, the spacing between each turn and the nextadjacent turns provides aluminum of sufficient thickness around eachturn to withstand very substantial internal pressure. For example,during test operations water has been maintained in one coil whilegrefrigerant is evaporated in the other and the -maintained between thecoil turns, and this 3 spacing is maintained during the winding andcasing operations by a set of four holding brackets 26 (Figure 1) whichare inserted between the inner and outer turns and are spaced equallyand extend parallel to the axis of the coils. Brackets 26 are made ofstrip copper and are of the type shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Referringto Figure 5 wherein the end portion of one bracket is shown, thesebrackets. are formed by displacing the side edge portions of a strip ofcopper. The main body portion 21 of the strip remains fiat and there aretwo rows of tube-receiving pockets 28 formed somewhat like scallopsalong the strip edges. 28 are displaced alternately in opposite direc-These pockets tions from the plane of the strip so that the top pocketon the right-hand edge of the strip in Figure 5 is at the right or farside of the plane of the strip, whereas the next lower pocket is at: theleft or near side of the plane of the strip. Similarly,'transversely ofthe strip each pocket is directly opposite a pocket which is displaced.inthe opposite direction from the plane of the strip. That is, at thetop of strip portion in Figure 5, the pocket at the right is displacedto the right beyond. the plane ofthe strip, whereas the pocket at theleft is displaced to the left in the front of the plane of the strip.

Referring to Figures 3' and 4 the turns of the coils fit snugly withinpockets 28 and each. packet presents a somewhat smooth pipe-supportingsurface which is a section of a cylinder. This surface receives its pipesnugly, and there is a somewhat semi-circular or sine curve edge 36 ateach. pocket which engages the pipe when the tendency for the coil tounwind tends to twist and upset the bracket. The arrangement is suchthat these brackets effectively hold the coil. from unwinding prior toand during the casting operation; at the same time. the coil walls arenot subjected to excessive strain.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and. asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it isto beunderstood. that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown. in theaccompanyingj drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a heat exchange unit for cooling a liquid, a liquid tube adaptedto have a liquid to be cooled. flow therethrough, a metal blocksurrounding said tube with each of the ends of the tube beingsubstantially at one flat surface of the block and with the blockforming a wall of substantial thickness around the entire tube b-e--tween said ends, and a pair of pipe fittings positioned respectively atsaid ends of: said. tube and each rigidly fixed to its tube end wherebythe two fittings provide for the flow of liquid through said tube, eachof said fittings having an embedded: portion' which is non-circular incrosssection with fiat side surfaces and which has an anchor portionwhich is remote from the external portion. of the fitting and whichpro-- jects' radially outwardly with respect to the axis of the fittingwith the block having a portion which mates with said anchor portion andcounteracts any tendency for the fitting to move axially of the fittingaway from its position with respect to said tube, each of said fittingsalso having an external portion which: presents fiat surfaces and isadapted to receive a tool and by which a liquid connection may be madethrough the fitting to the tube.

2. In a heat exchange unit for cooling a liquid, a coiled liquid tubeadapted to have a liquid to be cooled flow therethrough and having itstwo ends substantially parallel and at one side of the coiled tube, ametal block which presents a fiat end surface, said block surroundingsaid tube with the ends of the tube being substantially atsaid fiat endsurface of. the block and with the block forming a wall of substantialthickness around the entire tube between said ends, and a pair of pipefittings positioned in alignment. along said fiat surface endrespectively at said ends of said tube and each rigidly fixed to itstube? and: whereby the two fittings provide for the flow of liquidthrough said tube, each ofsai'd fittings having an embedded portionbeneathsaid fiat surface which is non-circular in cross-section andwhich has an anchor portion which projects radially outwardly withrespect to the axis of the fitting remote from the external portionthereof and. with the block having a portion which mates with saidanchor portion and counteracts any tendency for the fitting. to moveaxially of. the fitting away from. its

" position with. respect to said tube, eachv of said.

fittings also having an external portion. pro jecting above said flatsurface whichis adapted to receive a too and. by which aliquidconnection may be made through thefitting to the tube.

3. In a heat exchange unit, a liquid. coil formed by a single tubecoiled into turns having a com,- mon axis with the turns being twoconcentric. spirals of different radii terminating at one endof said.axis at the ends of the tube and terminating at the other end of theaxis. in. an inter-con.-

necting. portion of the tube whereby the. fluid,

passes from one end of the tube through one spiral and thence back.through the other spiral. to the other end of the tube, a cylindricalmetal. block. having an. annular flat surface and surrounding said tubewith the ends of the tube being substantially at said annular surface,said block forming a confining wall of substantial thickness around theentire tube between said ends, and. a pair of pipe fittings positionedin alignment at said annular surface and respectively at the ends ofsaid tube, each of said fittings being rigidly fixed. to its tube endwhereby the two. fittings. provide for the flow of fluid through saidtube, each of said fittings having an embedded portion beneath saidannular surface which is non-circular and which has an. anchor portionwhich. interlocks with a portion of said. block so as to counteract anytendency for the fitting to move away from its position with respect tosaid. tube,v each of said fittings also having an external portionabove. said annular surface which is adapted to receive a tool and whichprovides a fluid connection to its tube end.

4. In a heat exchange unit, a pair of liquid;

coils, each of which is formed by a. single tube coiled into turnshaving a common axis with the turns being two concentric spirals ofdiiferent radii and terminating at one end of said axis at the ends ofthe tube and terminating at the other end of the axis in aninter-connecting portion of the. tube whereby the fluid passes from oneend of the tube through one of the spirals and thence back through theother spiral to the other end of the tube, a. cylindrical metal blockhaving an annular fiat surface and surrounding said tubes with the endsof the tubes being substantially at said annular surface, saidv blockforming a confining wall of substantial thickness around the entiretubes between said. ends, and two pairs of pipe fittings positioned inalignment at said annular surface and respectively at the ends of saidtubes, each of said fittings being rigidly fixed to its tube end wherebythe two fittings for each tube provide for the flow of fluid throughsaid tube, each of said fittings having an embedded portion beneath saidannular surface which is non-circular and which has an anchor portionwhich interlocks with a portion of said block so as to counteract anytendency for the fitting to move away from its position with respect tosaid tube, each of said fittings also having an external portion abovesaid annular surface which is adapted to receive a tool and whichprovides a fluid connection to its tube end.

5. A unit as described in claim 4, wherein each of said fittings has itsanchor portion in the form of an outwardly flaring annular flange whichforms above it an annular groove within which the block extends, andwherein said non-circular portion is formed by flat sides which projectabove the block surface and are adapted to be engaged by a wrench.

CECIL BOLING.

References Cited in the file of this patent,

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 6 518,798 1,430,769 1,635,992 1,666,5991,737,347 10 1,768,556 1,799,991 1,989,996 2,135,367 2,142,856 12,466,676 2,499,448

Number go 613,103

Name Date Stubbs Apr. 24, 1894 Thompson Oct. 3, 1922 Haddock July 19,1927 Hoffman Apr. 17, 1928 Wilson Nov. 26, 1929 Andrews July 1, 1930Sellick et a1 Apr. 7, 1931 Mautsch Feb. 5, 1935 Trencavel Nov. 1, 1938Lieb et al Jan. 3, 1939 Boling et al. Apr. 12, 1949 Axelson et al Mar.7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Aug. 13, 1926

